Spellcasting

You can cast spells a certain number of times before you need to rest, as detailed in the chart below. You regain all expended spell slots after completing a long rest.

You can only have one spell with the duration "Concentration" active at a time. If you cast another spell with the Concentration duration, the first spell ends-- you can't concentrate on two spells at once. If you take damage while such a spell is active, you must make a Strength saving throw (DC 10 or half the damage taken, whichever is higher) or lose the spell. You lose concentration on a spell if you are incapacitated or killed.

Level

Maximum Spells Known

Slots (1st)

Slots (2nd)

Slots (3rd)

Slots (4th)

1

2

1

---

---

---

2

3

2

---

---

---

3

4

2

1

---

---

4

5

3

2

---

---

5

6

3

2

1

---

6

7

3

3

2

----

7

8

4

3

2

1

8

9

4

3

3

2

9

10

4

4

3

2

10

11

4

4

3

3

You gain the Force Bolt spell, and can cast it without expending a spell slot.

Force Bolt

Make a ranged spell attack against one target within range that you can see. On a successful hit, the target takes 1d10 force damage.

This spell creates more than one bolt at higher levels: two bolts at third level, three bolts at sixth level, and four bolts at ninth level. You can direct each bolt at the same target or at different targets; either way, each bolt requires a separate attack roll.

Arcanum

Mages can learn the following arcana as they increase in power. Most of the abilities listed below are spells, and require spell slots to use. Spells marked "cantrip" do not require a spell slot to use.

Aura

One creature you touch is protected from aberrations, celestials, fey, fiends, and undead. Attack rolls made by those creatures have disadvantage against your target. In addition, they cannot be charmed or frightened by those creatures.

Boom!

You throw a rune-inscribed skull at a point within range. The skull is inert until the start of your next turn, where it explodes in an spray of shrapnel and burning embers. Each creature in a 10-foot-radius sphere centered on that point must make a Dexterity saving throw. A target takes 2d6 fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the fire damage increases by 1d6 for each slot level above 1st.

Create Portal

When you cast this spell, you create a 10 foot portal that links your location to a permanent teleportation circle whose sigil sequence you know. The portal remains open until the end of your next turn. Creatures passing through this portal appear within 5 feet of the teleportation circle on the other end.

Many major locations, such as Julia's Tavern in the city of Rampart, the Grand Cathedral in the city of Midnight, and the Commercium Hall of Port Alabaster have permanent circles established. Each of these has a unique sigil sequence (a series of runes.) When you first learn this spell, you learn of two sigil sequences (DM's choice.) You can learn other sigil sequences through your adventures. It takes one minute to commit a sigil sequence to memory.

Dazzle

Choose one creature within range. The chosen creature must make a Strength saving throw or be blinded for the spell's duration. At the start of each of its turns, the target may make a new Strength saving throw.

When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, you may target one additional creature per spell level above 1st.

Dragon Fire

You exhale a gout of energy, similar to a drakkhen's breath weapon (you choose which type when you cast the spell.) Creatures caught in the effect must make a saving throw determined by the chosen effect. They take 2d6 damage on a failed saving throw, and half as much on a successful saving throw.

Drakkhen

Energy Type

Breath Weapon

Black

Acid

5 x 30 foot line (Dex)

Blue

Lightning

5 x 30 foot line (Dex)

Green

Poison

15 foot cone (Str)

Red

Fire

15 foot cone (Str)

White

Cold

15 foot cone (Str)

When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the energy damage increases by 1d6 for each slot level above 1st. If you are a drakkhen, you deal an additional d6 of damage if you choose the same dragon type as your ancestry.

Fascination

Choose any amount of creatures within range that can see and hear you. Those creatures must make Charisma saving throws; any creature that can't be charmed automatically succeeds, and creatures fighting you or your allies have advantage on this save. On a failed save, the targets have disadvantage on any checks made to notice creatures other than you until the spell ends or until they can no longer hear you. The spell ends if you are incapacitated or unable to speak.

Flame Dart

Make a ranged spell attack against one creature or target within range. On a hit, the target takes 1d10 fire damage. Unattended objects catch fire if hit by this spell, and creatures catch fire on a critical hit.

When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the fire damage increases by 1d10 for each slot level above 1st.

Force Lance

Frost Bite

Make a ranged spell attack against one creature within range. On a hit, the target takes 1d10 cold damage. The target gains the Restrained condition until the start of your next turn on a critical hit.

When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the cold damage increases by 1d10 for each slot level above 1st.

Glide

One creature within range that you can see can glide above liquid as if it were solid ground. Mud, oil, snow, running water, ice, and even lava can be traversed safely, as the target's feet are only an inch or two above the surface (they still take damage from traversing over lava because they are near it.) The target can walk, run, charge, or otherwise move as if the liquid were solid ground.

If the spell is cast underwater (or on a target partially or wholly submerged in whatever liquid they are in) they are borne to the surface at 60 feet per round until they can stand atop it.

When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, you may target one additional creature for each slot level above 1st.

Hide

One creature you touch becomes invisible until the spell ends. Anything the target is wearing or carrying is invisible as long as it is on the target’s person. The spell ends for a target that attacks or casts a spell.

When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, you may target one additional creature for each slot level above 1st.

Hypnosis

You attempt to charm a humanoid you can see within range. It must make a Charisma saving throw, and does so with advantage if you or your companions are fighting it. If it fails the saving throw, it is charmed by you until the spell ends or until you or your companions do anything harmful to it. The charmed creature regards you as a friendly acquaintance. When the spell ends, the creature knows it was charmed by you.

When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, you may target one additional creature for each slot level above 1st. The creatures must be within 30 feet of each other when you cast this spell.

Juggling Lights

You create up to four torch-sized lights within range, making them appear as torches, lanterns, or glowing orbs that hover in the air for the duration. You can also combine the four lights into one glowing vaguely humanoid form of Medium size. Whichever form you choose, each light sheds dim light in a 10-foot radius.

As a bonus action on your turn, you can move the lights up to 60 feet to a new spot within range. A light must be within 20 feet of another light created by this spell, and a light winks out if it exceeds the spell’s range.

Levitate

Transmutation
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V S M (either a small leather loop or a piece of golden wire bent into a cup shape with a long shank on one end)
Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes

One creature or object of your choice that you can see within range rises vertically, up to 20 feet, and remains suspended there for the duration. The spell can levitate a target that weighs up to 500 pounds. An unwilling creature that succeeds on a Strength saving throw is unaffected.

The target can move only by pushing or pulling against a fixed object or surface within reach (such as a wall or a ceiling), which allows it to move as if it were climbing. You can change the target’s altitude by up to 20 feet in either direction on your turn. If you are the target, you can move up or down as part of your move. Otherwise, you can use your action to move the target, which must remain within the spell’s range.

When the spell ends, the target floats gently to the ground if it is still aloft.

Lightning Ball

Make a ranged spell attack against one creature within range that you can see. You have advantage on the attack roll if the target is wearing armor made of metal. On a hit, the target takes 1d8 lightning damage, and it can’t take reactions until the start of its next turn. On a critical hit, the target is stunned until the start of your next turn.

When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the cold damage increases by 1d8 for each slot level above 1st.

Protection

You touch a willing creature who isn’t wearing armor, and a protective magical force surrounds it until the spell ends. The target’s base Defense becomes 13 + its Dexterity modifier. The spell ends if the target dons armor or if you dismiss the spell as an action.

Reversal

When you are targeted by a spell that affects you (and only you) roll a d6. On a 6, the spell is reflected back at its caster using the slot level, spell attack roll, spell save DC, and casting modifier of the caster.

When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3nd level or higher, you reflect the spell with a roll of 5 or 6 on a d6.

RIP

This spell sends creatures into a magical slumber. Roll 5d8; the total is how many hit points of creatures this spell can affect. Creatures within 20 feet of a point you choose within range are affected in ascending order of their current hit points (ignoring unconscious creatures.)

Starting with the creature that has the lowest current hit points, each creature affected by this spell falls unconscious until the spell ends, the sleeper takes damage, or someone uses an action to shake or slap the sleeper awake. Subtract each creature’s hit points from the total before moving on to the creature with the next lowest hit points. A creature’s hit points must be equal to or less than the remaining total for that creature to be affected.

Undead and creatures immune to being charmed aren’t affected by this spell.

When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, roll an additional 2d8 for each slot level above 1st.

Shadow

Three illusory duplicates of yourself appear in your space. Until the spell ends, the duplicates move with you and mimic your actions, shifting position so it’s impossible to track which image is real. You can use your action to dismiss the illusory duplicates.

Each time a creature targets you with an attack during the spell’s duration, roll a d20 to determine whether the attack instead targets one of your duplicates. If you have three duplicates, you must roll a 6 or higher to change the attack’s target to a duplicate. With two duplicates, you must roll an 8 or higher. With one duplicate, you must roll an 11 or higher.

A duplicate’s Defense equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier. If an attack hits a duplicate, the duplicate is destroyed. A duplicate can be destroyed only by an attack that hits it. It ignores all other damage and effects. The spell ends when all three duplicates are destroyed.

A creature is unaffected by this spell if it can’t see, if it relies on senses other than sight, such as blindsight, or if it can perceive illusions as false, as with truesight.

Shrink

You cause a creature or an object you can see within range to grow smaller for the duration. Choose either a creature or an object that is neither worn nor carried. If the target is unwilling, it can make a Strength saving throw. On a success, the spell has no effect.

If the target is a creature, everything it is wearing and carrying changes size with it. Any item dropped by an affected creature returns to normal size at once.

The target’s size is halved in all dimensions, and its weight is reduced to one-eighth of normal. This reduction decreases its size by one category-- from Medium to Small, for example. Until the spell ends, the target also has disadvantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws. The target’s weapons also shrink to match its new size. While these weapons are reduced, the target’s attacks with them deal 1d4 less damage (this can’t reduce the damage below 1.)

Staff Ritual

Once you learn this ritual, you can create a mage's staff. Over the course of eight hours, you pour your magical essence into creating your staff. Your staff is attuned to one of the eight schools of magic (abjuration, conjuration, divination, enchantment, evocation, illusion, necromancy, or transmutation) and grants benefits when wielded. You may only have one mage's staff at a time. If your staff is destroyed, any replacement staff will be of the same school you chose the first time you underwent this ritual.

Details on mage staffs will be in a further post.

Trigger

Choose one creature, object, or magical effect within range. Any spell of 1st level or lower on the target ends. For each higher-level effect, make a Mental check. The DC is 10 + the spell's level. On a successful check, the spell ends.

When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, you automatically end the spell effects on a target if the spell effects are equal to or lower than the level of the spell slot you used.

Whirlwind

A whirlwind 60 feet long and 10 feet wide blasts from you in a direction you choose for the spell’s duration. Each creature that starts its turn in the line must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be pushed 15 feet away from you in a direction following the line.

Any creature in the line must spend 2 feet of movement for every 1 foot it moves when moving closer to you.

The gust disperses gas or vapor, and it extinguishes candles, torches, and similar unprotected flames in the area. It causes protected flames, such as those of lanterns, to dance wildly and has a 50 percent chance to extinguish them.

Zap

For one minute, one dagger or staff you are wielding is infused with magical energy. Its becomes magical if it isn't already, its damage die increases to a d8, and you use your Mental modifier for attack and damage rolls with it instead of Strength. This spell ends if you cast it again or let go of the weapon.

When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the weapon gains a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls for each slot level above 1st.

Last edited by Snorb on Wed Apr 22, 2020 1:16 am, edited 7 times in total.

You can cast spells a certain number of times before you need to rest, as detailed in the chart below. You regain all expended spell slots after completing a short or long rest.

....

Level

Maximum Spells Known

Slots (1st)

Slots (2nd)

Slots (3rd)

Slots (4th)

1

2

1

---

---

---

2

3

1

1

---

---

3

4

---

2

---

---

4

5

---

2

1

---

5

6

---

1

2

---

6

7

---

---

3

----

7

8

---

---

3

1

8

9

---

---

2

2

9

10

---

---

1

3

10

11

---

---

---

4

I do not understand this chart (or perhaps it how magic works in general that I don't understand). Why can 3th level mages no longer use 1st slots (and so on as their level increases)? Some spells in your list have effects that vary by level of spell slot used to cast it, but many do not so it seems like there would be no need to use a higher level slot to cast such spells -- and for those that do vary by level of spell slot by this chart it appears that higher level mages cannot cast the weaker version of the spell? Is this right -- or am I missing something?

The original idea was that spellcasting works like a weird hybrid between the 5e warlock-- they gain a very limited number of spell slots, and their spell slots increased in slot level as they gained levels (warlocks lose the ability to cast 1st level spells in 5e after a couple levels, for example) and any spellcasters from 13th Age (they gain spell slots as they level up, but the spell slots shift up in level because that game intended for your spells to scale up in power as you gained levels.)

This confused me and I didn't like that a tenth-level mage in the original chart could only cast four spells before needing to rest, so I fixed the chart. They get to keep all their 1st-level slots as they gain levels! (They still need to sleep for eight hours to get their magic back, because wizards aren't my favorite class. =p)

Martial Arts

You have trained in the art of unarmed combat. If you are not wielding a weapon, your damage with unarmed attacks increases as you gain levels (as shown on the table above.)

When you make an unarmed attack, you can make an additional unarmed attack as a bonus action.

Unarmored Defense

If you are not wearing armor or using a shield, your Defense is 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Mental modifier.

Speed Boost

Starting at second level, your walking speed increases while you are not wearing armor or using a shield. This bonus increases as your kasunda level increases, as shown on the table above.

Ki

Starting at second level, you gain the ability to channel the energy of the soul, known to the people of Xianghua as ki. You have a pool of ki points that increases as you gain levels; these points allow you to perform various supernatural feats. You automatically know three of these, as listed below.

You regain all your spent ki points when you complete a short or long rest.

Flurry of Blows

When you make an unarmed attack, you may spend 1 ki point and your bonus action to make two additional unarmed attacks.

Patient Defense

You may spend 1 ki point and your bonus action to take the Dodge action.

Step of the Wind

You may spend 1 ki point and your bonus action to take the Disengage or Dodge action. Your jump distance doubles until the start of your next turn.

Katas

Kasundas can learn the following katas and stances as they increase in power. They can use these abilities so long as they are not wearing armor or using a shield.

Entering a stance is a bonus action. Unless otherwise stated, you can only be in one stance at a time.

Azure Dragon Stance

You take on the stance of a dragon, standing tall and proud. While you are in this stance, you ignore difficult terrain while you move.

Black Tortoise Stance

You take on the stance of a tortoise, hunching low to the ground. You add your proficiency bonus to Defense while you are in this stance.

Comet Chases the Moon

You may spend 1 ki point as an action to make a ki attack with the following properties.

Ranged Attack

Damage

Critical Effect

Ki Blast

1d6 fire

Ignite

Ignite: On a critical hit, your opponent loses 1d6 (or 4) hit points at the start of each of his turns unless he succeeds on a DC 10 Dexterity check to put the fire out.

Crane Stance

You take on the stance of a crane, standing on one leg and raising your arms above your head. While you are in this stance, attack rolls made against you have advantage, and you may spend one 1 ki point on a successful unarmed attack to increase its damage die one size.

Deflect Missiles

You can use your reaction to deflect an arrow, crossbow bolt, thrown weapon, or other similar projectile that successfully hits you. You reduce the incoming damage by your unarmed damage die + your Dexterity bonus + your kasunda level. If you reduce the damage to 0, you can catch the projectile if it's small enough to hold in one hand.

If you catch a projectile, you may spend 1 ki point to immediately make a ranged attack with it as part of the same reaction. You are considered proficient with this projectile. It has a short range of 20 feet, a long range of 60 feet, and its damage die is your unarmed damage die.

Empty Body

You may spend 3 ki points as an action to become intangible for one minute (or until you attack.) While you are intangible, you have resistance to all damage except force damage.

Fuse Stance

You must know at least two stances to learn this ability.

Choose two stances you already know, combine them, and give the new stance a unique name. While you are in this fused stance, you gain the abilities of both stances.

Gentle Rain

You may spend 1 ki point and touch one living creature as an action. That creature makes a recovery roll, and becomes immune to this ability until it completes a long rest.

Killing Hands

Your unarmed attacks are considered to be magical for purposes of overcoming resistance or immunity to nonmagical attacks.

Qwo Poo

You must know at least one stance to learn this ability.

When you roll initiative at the start of a combat, you may enter a stance. This is not an action.

Petals on the Wind

While you are moving, you may walk along vertical surfaces or liquids. You fall or sink as appropriate if you complete your movement and are not standing on flat horizontal ground.

Stunning Fist

When you hit a living creature with an unarmed attack, you may spend 1 ki point to attempt a stunning strike. Your opponent must make a successful Strength saving throw or be stunned until the end of your next turn.

Tongue of the Sun and Moon

You transcend the barriers between words; you can speak and understand (but not read) any language you hear.

Vermilion Firebird Stance

You take on the stance of a bird, spreading your arms wide. While you are in this stance, you add your proficiency bonus to your unarmed attack damage.

Void Soul

You may spend 1 ki point to reroll a failed saving throw. The new result is final, even if it's another failure.

White Tiger Stance

You take on the stance of a tiger, curling your hands into claws. While you are in this stance, your unarmed attack deals slashing damage and gains the Lacerate critical effect.

Wholeness of Body

You may spend 1 ki point as an action to make a recovery roll.

Last edited by Snorb on Mon Apr 20, 2020 6:07 pm, edited 2 times in total.

Well, it's been a while. Far too long for something I wanted to continuously work on, but such is life. Ah well. Time for another class, I think!

The Kasunda

Oh wow, I like this. I like this a lot. Having some of the katas useful out of combat you solve one of the problems I've always had with monk classes: they are generally "one trick ponies" and as such are often the least useful class outside of combat.

Thanks! A lot of the kasunda's abilities were based on the 5e monk, parceled out into my "Give the very basics at first level, let the players choose what abilities they want" philosophy. I think I borrowed the idea of stances from either Pathfinder 2e's monk or the initiate classes from 3.5e's Book of Nine Swords.

(I will say that canonically the Crane Stance is a Karate Kid reference. Comet Chases the Moon was a reference to the PC fighting game Sango Fighter, and was originally called "Kame-hame-hadouken.")

I am loving the ideas here. I will probably "admire and acquire" some concepts from here, especially the different crit types, for M20 or DND or whatever.

I do have some questions.

Clerics: Do they start with any prayers other than healing? It doesn't look like it, rather that they can learn them as they advance. This would fit with early DND as well, where the cleric didn't get spells until second level. Given that the cleric starts with being able to heal and turn undead, I think they are powered well enough at level one. Just wanted to see if I missed something.

Magi: There are leveled spell slots, but the spells don't appear to have levels. Some spells reference "powering up" by using a higher level spell slot, but others don't. Is this an oversight? Or can all spells be cast using level 1 slots, but some can also be cast "higher" with benefits?

Intelligence is referenced several places. Is this a Freudian typo, and it should read Mind? Or do you intend to use Intelligence as a stat?

Feel perfectly free to "permanently borrow" what I have here-- that's what it's here for, after all! (Most of this is just abilities adjusted from the 5e SRD anyway.)

Clerics don't start with any prayers other than Divine Smite, Healing and Turn Undead at first level. Now that you mention it, that does sound like the old 2e cleric! (I kinda like that.) This was originally intended as part of my whole design philosophy of "This is the basic stuff you get at first level, and here's a list of what everyone expects this class to do. Pick and choose as you level up" that I'm admitting to borrowing from Pathfinder 2e (as well as the concept of Initiative being Wisdom Mental-based.)

Any mage spell that isn't a cantrip can be cast using a 1st-level slot and can be heightened with a higher-level slot. (My original idea was to make them like the warlock from 5e, but I turned out not liking it.) I... think I was going for 13th Age's spellcasting too, but that fell flat, and I figured "Hey, everything else is 5e-based, why not keep the mage in line with that for the most part?"

And yes, "Intelligence" was a goof on my part; I went back and changed every instance I found. Thanks XD

Here we go. This is wholly in the realm of the experimental. Feel free to modify/discard this as needed.

Multiclass Characters

When your character gains a level, they may pick one of these abilities in lieu of the advancement granted by their class.

Hit Points and Recovery Rolls

You use your original class's Hit Die and recovery roll die (a warrior who learns the Student of Faith ability still rolls d10s for gaining and recovering hit points.)

Proficiency Bonus

Your proficiency bonus is tied to your total character level (a priest who learns the Student of Trickery ability at 7th level still has a +4 proficiency bonus.)

Combat Boost

Characters who learn the Student of War ability do not gain the warrior's combat boost.

Student of Balance

Requirements: Dexterity 15 and Mental 15, not a kasunda, no other multiclass talents

You gain the following benefits:

Add half your proficiency bonus to your Dexterity saving throw (if you aren't already proficient in it) and either the Physical or Knowledge skill (your choice if you are proficient in neither; if you are proficient with one, choose the other.)

You gain the kasunda's Unarmored Defense ability.

You gain modified versions of the kasunda's Martial Arts, Speed Boost, and Ki abilities as shown on the table below.

You add katas and stances to the list of advancements you can take as you gain levels. Just like a kasunda, you can use these abilities if you are not wearing armor or using a shield.

Character Level

Unarmed Attack

Ki

Speed Boost

2 - 3

d4

2

+10 feet

4 - 6

d6

3

+15 feet

7 - 9

d8

4

+20 feet

10

d8

5

+25 feet

Student of Faith

Requirements: Mental 15 or Charisma 15, not a priest, no other multiclass talents

You gain the following benefits:

Proficiency with leather armor, chain armor, and shields (if you aren't already proficient with those armors.)

Rereading these - and editing them into my own hack of your hack - I am impressed again by them.

I am especially enamored with the critical effects on the weapons. They actually make it logical to select some neglected weapons from other games. For example, the poor spear gets no love in fantasy games because it's damage isn't as high as most swords or axes. However, historically we know it say widespread use because it was cheap, relatively easy to learn, and effective. With the critical effects you've laid out, I can see more variety in weapon choices.

One clarification. Reading the crane stance for the monk-like archetype, it appears that the monk is spending a ki point to be more vulnerable without a benefit. Is this a mistype or am I missing something?